WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Canada will assist the United States in training Ukraine National Guardsmen to ensure they have the capabilities to maintain the country’s internal stability and defend territory in Western Ukraine, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced in a statement on Tuesday.
“Canada will be joining the DoD-State Department initiative to help train members of the Ukrainian National Guard,” the statement said.
Canadian trainers would be contributing to an effort announced last month by the US Defense Department aimed at training six Ukraine National Guard companies with a focus on internal security and territorial defense in Western Ukraine.
Canada has provided non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine throughout the ongoing crisis, according to the statement.
In late 2014, Canada's Defense Ministry proposed sending Canadian military police officers to train Ukrainian colleagues but the initiative was suspended in February amid escalating violence.
The conflict between the Ukrainian government and independence supporters in Eastern Ukraine has killed more than 6,000 people since April, 2014, according to UN estimates.
